Algeria captain and star player Riyad Mahrez started the game against Mauritania on the bench. AFP
Algeria captain and star player Riyad Mahrez started the game against Mauritania on the bench. AFP
Algeria captain and star player Riyad Mahrez started the game against Mauritania on the bench. AFP
Algeria captain and star player Riyad Mahrez started the game against Mauritania on the bench. AFP

Algeria crash out of Afcon 2023 after shock defeat to Mauritania


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Algeria crashed out of the Africa Cup of Nations group stage for the second time in as many tournaments following Tuesday's shock defeat to Mauritania,

Algeria won their second Afcon title in Egypt in 2019 but were then failed to reach the knockout stages at the last edition in Cameroon two years ago with just one point and one goal scored.

This campaign has been equally miserable for Djamel Belmadi's team, who drew their first two matches in Group D against Angola and Burkina Faso but would have qualified for the knockout phase with a point against Mauritania in Bouake.

Yet Mauritania, who had lost their opening two matches in Ivory Coast and had never won in eight previous attempts at Afcon, claimed a 1-0 win thanks to a 37th-minute goal by captain Mohamed Dellah Yaly, who plays his club football in Iraq.

The result relegated Algeria, who started the game with off-form Riyad Mahrez on the bench, to bottom spot in their group and they head home having now gone six Afcon matches without winning since beating Senegal 1-0 in the 2019 final.

Mauritania, meanwhile, are now certain to advance to the knockout phase for the first time in their history as one of the four best third-placed teams.

"Nobody was thinking about Mauritania, but football is like that, full of surprises, and we have been rewarded for all the hard work we have put in," Mauritania coach Amir Abdou told Canal Plus Afrique.

Angola finish top of Group D ahead of Burkina Faso after beating the Stallions 2-0 in Yamoussoukro thanks to goals in each half from Egypt-based striker Mabululu and Zini of AEK Athens.

The Angolans are through to the knockouts for the first time since hosting the tournament in 2010, and will now play a best third-placed team in Bouake in the last 16.

Runners-up in 2013 and semi-finalists two years ago, Burkina Faso will head to the northern city of Korhogo for a tie next Tuesday against the winners of Group E, which will be Mali, South Africa or Namibia.

Cameroon beat Gambia to advance

Earlier on Tuesday, five-time champions Cameroon secured qualification for the next round with a 3-2 win over Gambia in an extraordinary match in Bouake.

Both teams needed a win to stand a chance of going through from Group C, and Cameroon took the lead early in the second half from a Karl Toko-Ekambi header.

Yet Gambia, quarter-finalists two years ago, drew level on 72 minutes when the unmarked Ablie Jallow finished past Fabrice Ondoa, preferred in goal to Manchester United's Andre Onana.

Ebrima Colley then put Gambia ahead five minutes from time, meaning the Indomitable Lions were heading out.

However, James Gomez turned a cross into his own net two minutes later to make it 2-2, and Christopher Wooh then headed in Cameroon's winner in stoppage time.

"It is in our DNA, it's just what we are like," Cameroon manager Rigobert Song said when it was put to him that his team never know when they are beaten.

They will now head to Abidjan for a heavyweight last-16 tie against Nigeria on Saturday, while Gambia go home with three defeats in as many games.

Gambia coach Tom Saintfiet confirmed after the match that he would be leaving his position, despite having a contract until 2026.

Meanwhile, reigning champions Senegal beat Guinea 2-0 in Yamoussoukro to top Group C with a 100 per cent record, Abdoulaye Seck and Iliman Ndiaye scoring their goals in the second half.

They will stay in Yamoussoukro for a last-16 tie next Monday against one of the best third-placed teams, and there is a good chance they will end up playing hosts Ivory Coast who remain in contention to qualify despite coming third in Group A.

Cameroon's comeback relegated Guinea, who had star striker Serhou Guirassy back from injury, to third place, but they will go through to the next round.

However, those results condemned four-time champions Ghana to elimination.

The group stage concludes on Wednesday, with South Africa playing Tunisia and Namibia facing Mali in Group E, while Tanzania take on the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia meet Morocco in Group F.

Brief scores:

Arsenal 4

Xhaka 25', Lacazette 55', Ramsey 79', Aubameyang 83'

Fulham 1

Kamara 69'

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
PROFILE OF HALAN

Started: November 2017

Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport and logistics

Size: 150 employees

Investment: approximately $8 million

Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar

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German plea
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the German parliament that. Russia had erected a new wall across Europe. 

"It's not a Berlin Wall -- it is a Wall in central Europe between freedom and bondage and this Wall is growing bigger with every bomb" dropped on Ukraine, Zelenskyy told MPs.

Mr Zelenskyy was applauded by MPs in the Bundestag as he addressed Chancellor Olaf Scholz directly.

"Dear Mr Scholz, tear down this Wall," he said, evoking US President Ronald Reagan's 1987 appeal to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.

Globalization and its Discontents Revisited
Joseph E. Stiglitz
W. W. Norton & Company

Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015

- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France

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Picture of Joumblatt and Hariri breaking bread sets Twitter alight

Mr Joumblatt’s pessimism regarding the Lebanese political situation didn’t stop him from enjoying a cheerful dinner on Tuesday with several politicians including Mr Hariri.

Caretaker Culture Minister Ghattas Khoury tweeted a picture of the group sitting around a table at a discrete fish restaurant in Beirut’s upscale Sodeco area.

Mr Joumblatt told The National that the fish served at Kelly’s Fish lounge had been very good.

“They really enjoyed their time”, remembers the restaurant owner. “Mr Hariri was taking selfies with everybody”.

Mr Hariri and Mr Joumblatt often have dinner together to discuss recent political developments.

Mr Joumblatt was a close ally of Mr Hariri’s assassinated father, former prime minister Rafik Hariri. The pair were leading figures in the political grouping against the 15-year Syrian occupation of Lebanon that ended after mass protests in 2005 in the wake of Rafik Hariri’s murder. After the younger Hariri took over his father’s mantle in 2004, the relationship with Mr Joumblatt endured.

However, the pair have not always been so close. In the run-up to the election last year, Messrs Hariri and Joumblatt went months without speaking over an argument regarding the new proportional electoral law to be used for the first time. Mr Joumblatt worried that a proportional system, which Mr Hariri backed, would see the influence of his small sect diminished.

With so much of Lebanese politics agreed in late-night meetings behind closed doors, the media and pundits put significant weight on how regularly, where and with who senior politicians meet.

In the picture, alongside Messrs Khoury and Hariri were Mr Joumbatt and his wife Nora, PSP politician Wael Abou Faour and Egyptian ambassador to Lebanon Nazih el Nagari.

The picture of the dinner led to a flurry of excitement on Twitter that it signified an imminent government formation. “God willing, white smoke will rise soon and Walid Beik [a nickname for Walid Joumblatt] will accept to give up the minister of industry”, one user replied to the tweet. “Blessings to you…We would like you to form a cabinet”, wrote another.  

The next few days will be crucial in determining whether these wishes come true.

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'Panga'

Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari

Starring Kangana Ranaut, Richa Chadha, Jassie Gill, Yagya Bhasin, Neena Gupta

Rating: 3.5/5

Brief scores:

Day 1

Toss: India, chose to bat

India (1st innings): 215-2 (89 ov)

Agarwal 76, Pujara 68 not out; Cummins 2-40

GULF MEN'S LEAGUE

Pool A Dubai Hurricanes, Bahrain, Dubai Exiles, Dubai Tigers 2

Pool B Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Jebel Ali Dragons, Dubai Knights Eagles, Dubai Tigers

 

Opening fixtures

Thursday, December 5

6.40pm, Pitch 8, Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Dubai Knights Eagles

7pm, Pitch 2, Jebel Ali Dragons v Dubai Tigers

7pm, Pitch 4, Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Exiles

7pm, Pitch 5, Bahrain v Dubai Eagles 2

 

Recent winners

2018 Dubai Hurricanes

2017 Dubai Exiles

2016 Abu Dhabi Harlequins

2015 Abu Dhabi Harlequins

2014 Abu Dhabi Harlequins

Tips to avoid getting scammed

1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday

2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment

3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone

4) Try not to close the sale at night

5) Don't be rushed into a sale 

6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour

The specs

Engine: 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 380hp at 5,800rpm

Torque: 530Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm

Transmission: Eight-speed auto

Price: From Dh299,000 ($81,415)

On sale: Now

UAE v Ireland

1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets

2nd ODI, January 12

3rd ODI, January 14

4th ODI, January 16

W.
Wael Kfoury
(Rotana)

The bio

Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district

Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school

Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family

His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people

Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned

Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

Reading List

Practitioners of mindful eating recommend the following books to get you started:

Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life by Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr Lilian Cheung

How to Eat by Thich Nhat Hanh

The Mindful Diet by Dr Ruth Wolever

Mindful Eating by Dr Jan Bays

How to Raise a Mindful Eaterby Maryann Jacobsen

Our legal consultants

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Squads

India: Kohli (c), Rahul, Shaw, Agarwal, Pujara, Rahane, Vihari, Pant (wk), Ashwin, Jadeja, Kuldeep, Shami, Umesh, Siraj, Thakur

West Indies: Holder (c), Ambris, Bishoo, Brathwaite, Chase, Dowrich (wk), Gabriel, Hamilton, Hetmyer, Hope, Lewis, Paul, Powell, Roach, Warrican, Joseph

The Case For Trump

By Victor Davis Hanson
 

Brief scores:

Liverpool 3

Mane 24', Shaqiri 73', 80'

Manchester United 1

Lingard 33'

Man of the Match: Fabinho (Liverpool)

The Vile

Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah

Director: Majid Al Ansari

Rating: 4/5

Updated: January 24, 2024, 3:46 AM